TY - JOUR T1 - Curcumin Anti-Apoptotic Action in a Model of Intestinal Epithelial Inflammatory Damage. JF - Nutrients Y1 - 2017 A1 - Loganes, Claudia A1 - Lega, Sara A1 - Bramuzzo, Matteo A1 - Vecchi Brumatti, Liza A1 - Piscianz, Elisa A1 - Valencic, Erica A1 - Tommasini, Alberto A1 - Marcuzzi, Annalisa KW - Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal KW - Apoptosis KW - Cell Survival KW - Curcuma KW - Curcumin KW - Cytokines KW - Epithelial Cells KW - HT29 Cells KW - Humans KW - Inflammation KW - Interferon-gamma KW - Interleukin-7 KW - Intestinal Mucosa KW - NF-kappa B KW - Phosphorylation KW - Signal Transduction AB -

The purpose of this study is to determine if a preventive treatment with curcumin can protect intestinal epithelial cells from inflammatory damage induced by IFNγ. To achieve this goal we have used a human intestinal epithelial cell line (HT29) treated with IFNγ to undergo apoptotic changes that can reproduce the damage of intestinal epithelia exposed to inflammatory cytokines. In this model, we measured the effect of curcumin (curcuminoid from ) added as a pre-treatment at different time intervals before stimulation with IFNγ. Curcumin administration to HT29 culture before the inflammatory stimulus IFNγ reduced the cell apoptosis rate. This effect gradually declined with the reduction of the curcumin pre-incubation time. This anti-apoptotic action by curcumin pre-treatment was paralleled by a reduction of secreted IL7 in the HT29 culture media, while there was no relevant change in the other cytokine levels. Even though curcumin pre-administration did not impact the activation of the NF-κB pathway, a slight effect on the phosphorylation of proteins in this inflammatory signaling pathway was observed. In conclusion, curcumin pre-treatment can protect intestinal cells from inflammatory damage. These results can be the basis for studying the preventive role of curcumin in inflammatory bowel diseases.

VL - 9 IS - 6 U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28587282?dopt=Abstract ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Intranasal Dexmedetomidine Sedation as Adjuvant Therapy in Acute Asthma Exacerbation With Marked Anxiety and Agitation. JF - Ann Emerg Med Y1 - 2017 A1 - Cozzi, Giorgio A1 - Lega, Sara A1 - Giorgi, Rita A1 - Barbi, Egidio KW - Acute Disease KW - Administration, Intranasal KW - Anxiety KW - Asthma KW - Child, Preschool KW - Dexmedetomidine KW - Emergency Service, Hospital KW - Female KW - Humans KW - Hypnotics and Sedatives KW - Infant KW - Psychomotor Agitation AB -

We describe 2 patients with acute asthma exacerbation who were admitted to the emergency department (ED) with severe agitation and restlessness as a prominent finding, for which bedside asthma treatment sedation with intranasal dexmedetomidine was performed. In both cases, dexmedetomidine allowed the patients to rest and improved tolerance to treatment. Dexmedetomidine is a unique sedative with an excellent safety profile and minimal effect on respiratory function. These properties render it particularly promising for the management of severe agitation in children admitted to the ED with acute asthma exacerbation.

VL - 69 IS - 1 U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27776827?dopt=Abstract ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in giant cell hepatitis with autoimmune hemolytic anemia: A multicenter study. JF - Clin Res Hepatol Gastroenterol Y1 - 2015 A1 - Marsalli, Giulia A1 - Nastasio, Silvia A1 - Sciveres, Marco A1 - Calvo, Pier Luigi A1 - Ramenghi, Ugo A1 - Gatti, Simona A1 - Albano, Veronica A1 - Lega, Sara A1 - Ventura, Alessandro A1 - Maggiore, Giuseppe AB -

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Giant cell hepatitis with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (GCH-AHA) is a rare disease of infancy, of possible autoimmune mechanism with poor prognosis due to its scarce response to immunosuppressive drugs. The aim of this retrospective multicenter study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) treatment in inducing and maintaining remission of the liver disease, in patients with GCH-AHA.

METHODS: Seven children with GCH-AHA, four newly diagnosed, and three in relapse, being treated with different therapies, received one to three IVIg infusions (0.5 to 2g/kg) in association with other immunosuppressive drugs. Subsequently five of them received monthly sequential IVIg infusions (mean 13.4, range 7-24).

RESULTS: IVIg infusions as first-line therapy associated with prednisone and other immunosuppressive drugs significantly (P=0.04) reduced the aminotransferase activity in all patients and normalized prothombin activity in the only patient with severe liver dysfunction. Sequential monthly IVIg infusions determined a steroid-sparing effect and allowed a complete or partial remission in all patients, although with temporary efficacy, since relapse of the hemolytic anemia and/or of liver disease occurred in all patients. IVIg infusions were associated with mild side effects in two patients.

CONCLUSIONS: IVIg infusion can be safely and effectively administered in patients with severe GCH-AHA at diagnosis, or in case of relapse, in association with other immunosuppressive drugs. Repeated IVIg infusions may help maintain remission, however, due to their temporary efficacy, they should not be routinely employed.

U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26138133?dopt=Abstract ER - TY - JOUR T1 - A young soccer player with sudden pain after kicking the ball. JF - BMJ Y1 - 2015 A1 - Lega, Sara A1 - Rabach, Ingrid A1 - Barbi, Egidio A1 - Ventura, Alessandro KW - Adolescent KW - Athletic Injuries KW - Emergency Medicine KW - Fractures, Bone KW - Humans KW - Ilium KW - Male KW - Soccer VL - 350 U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25881580?dopt=Abstract ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Acute-onset pretibial swelling. JF - Indian Pediatr Y1 - 2014 A1 - Lega, Sara A1 - Rabusin, Marco A1 - Pederiva, Federica KW - Bone Marrow Diseases KW - Child, Preschool KW - Edema KW - Female KW - Granuloma Annulare KW - Humans KW - Leg KW - Tibia VL - 51 IS - 4 U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24825290?dopt=Abstract ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and UGT1A1 promoter polymorphism. JF - J Pediatr Y1 - 2014 A1 - Travan, Laura A1 - Lega, Sara A1 - Crovella, Sergio A1 - Montico, Marcella A1 - Panontin, Elisa A1 - Demarini, Sergio KW - Case-Control Studies KW - Female KW - Genotype KW - Gilbert Disease KW - Glucuronosyltransferase KW - Humans KW - Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal KW - Infant, Newborn KW - Male KW - Polymerase Chain Reaction KW - Polymorphism, Genetic KW - Prevalence KW - Promoter Regions, Genetic AB -

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether UGT1A1 promoter polymorphisms associated with Gilbert Syndrome (GS) occur with a greater frequency in neonates with severe hyperbilirubinemia.

STUDY DESIGN: In a case-control study performed at a single hospital center in Italy, 70 case subjects with severe hyperbilirubinemia (defined as bilirubin level ≥20 mg/dL or 340 μmol/L) and 70 controls (bilirubin level <12 mg/dL or 210 μmol/L) were enrolled. Both case and control subjects were full term newborns. Polymerase chain reaction analysis on blood spot was performed to determine the frequency of UGTA1A1 promoter polymorphisms in cases and controls.

RESULTS: No statistical difference in the prevalence of UGTA1A1 gene variants was found between cases and controls (P = 1). Thirteen infants homozygous for (TA)7 polymorphism associated with GS were in the case group (18.6%) and 14 in the control group (20.0%). A heterozygous group was also equally distributed between cases (44.3%) and controls (42.9%). No (TA)8 repeat was found in the 2 groups.

CONCLUSIONS: In our study population, GS polymorphism alone does not appear to play a major role in severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in neonates without signs of hemolysis.

VL - 165 IS - 1 U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24726540?dopt=Abstract ER -